19 September 2007

Hello everyone!

Transfers are today and we are both staying! We are thrilled. We love each other and we love our area. The Lord is so good to us!

The weather has been absolutely amazing! It is cooling down fast and I am so excited! I love cold weather. Fall has always been my favorite time of the year. With the gross humidity gone, the air has become fresh and crisp. I love it! Memories of happy times with family and friends have come with the weather change. Luckily, we will be very busy soon with all of the "Festival of Lights" and Christmas activities. It will keep my mind busy and I will be grateful.

Abraham is doing well. He is scheduled to be baptized this Sunday. However, he got into a car accident. He is fine, but is in pain. We hope to be able to prepare him within the next few days. Satan has his ways. Abraham has the purest motives and I am grateful for his example to me. He is strong and he WILL BE batptized! He definitely needs your prayers.

Teresa is great! She is getting more and more excited for her baptism on Oct. 14th. We have had to remind her that she doesn't need to be perfect to be baptized. She is worried still...she reminds me of myself. As we have taught her about the real power of the Atonement I have gained a stronger testimony that the power is real.

Laura will also be getting baptized on Oct. 14th. She is so EXCITED! When we gave her a baptismal date she was a little hesistant, but she couldn't stop smiling after she accepted. She has been making great friends in the singles ward and is enjoying all of the many activities.

Lydia committed to be baptized on Oct. 14th as well. I feel a great connection with Lydia. She has so much faith and she is developing a relationship with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We went to Institute last night with her. She signed up for a Book of Mormon class, on her own. Her boyfriend, Brandon, got tickets for general conference. They will be going together and Lydia is excited to hear the brethren speak. She is one of the elect and I feel so grateful to be a part of her life. They will be taking us out to dinner (most likely to the Cheesecake Factory) on Monday night for Sister Baxter's birthday. They will raise a wonderful family in the church! I am so happy!

Erica and Revi are also doing well. We hope to give Erica a baptismal date this coming week. Erica is a sweetheart and extremely selfless. Revi is a law student attending Georgetown. Her boyfriend attends Harvard and is a member of the church. She decided to begin investigating the church on her own. She sincerely wants to know truth. She is already gaining a testimony of the Book of Mormon. We are excited to help her progress.

Elder Steuer visited the mission last week for a zone conference. He taught us some effective techniques for finding and teaching. I am exctied to incorporate these ideas into my own life as a missionary.

This week at the VC I saw Steve Chandler his wife Sarah and their daughter! I was so excited to see them! They live in Virginia while he is attending dental school. It's always fun to see someone you know and it seems to be a weekly event for me. I love it and it never makes me lose focus or feel weird.

Well, with the request of Sarah, I have decided to incorporate a funny thought or story that I have experienced throughout the week into my weekly emails. It will keep my emails light-hearted. This week isn't that funny, because I just now thought of adding this to my emails...

Funny story: We have a love chair. It's just a regular chair with a sign on the back that says "Love Chair". The purpose of the love chair is to help people feel good about themselves. It's serious business. One person sits in the love chair while every other person takes turns telling the person why they love them. It's fun and it helps.

Well, looking back to the beginning of the transfer, I am amazed at how much I have learned. One of the main things I have learned is the importance of perspective and patience. I have also learned that a life of serving others and thinking about others is a happy life. I am excited to continue learning from my wonderful companion, from our investigators, and from all others.

I love being a servant of the Lord!

With Love, Sister Hogge